Goalsystem Delves Design Log 5: We've Got Class!

Well, six of them to be more specific.  In order to properly emulate classic dungeon fantasy genre games, I wanted to include Classes in the game. But how to do it?  I'm a huge fan of Atlas Games' Over the Edge RPG. Among it's many excellent design features is the idea of traits. Each character is defined by three core traits, a central and two side traits.

I took inspiration from this when shaping Goalsystem's standard four traits to the Delves project, and made the primary trait for characters a Class trait.  So if you're a Fighter (one of the six classes in GD) you'll roll to attack and to overcome Adventure Hazards using your Class trait Fighter dice pool.  In fact, every Class will fight with its Class trait. I must also give a nod to the Baron, a Goalsystem fan and super-gamer, as he and his crew were doing some Goalsystem fantasy stuff using a fairly straightforward iteration of my rules, and this caught my eye.

So after working through some initial rough spots I've settled on a structure for character creation. This game will be a real hybrid between miniature skirmish and RPG's.  I've taken to calling it Skirmish Fantasy Role-Play, a subtitle that might stick in the book.  Characters will be one of six classes: Druid, Fighter, Mage, Priest, Ranger, and Thief.  Each class has at least two "flavors" for variation. So you might Be a Thief-Acrobat or a Thief-Assassin.  I'll get into more of these in later posts, but today I want to preview the Druid a bit.

Here's the basic write-up for the Druid Class:

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The Druid [+11 pts.]
Druids feel at home in the wild places of the world. They possess a special bond with nature and the animals and plants who are a part of it. Some druids travel with animal companions, while others can take on the atavistic shape of the predator.

Starting Options
Choose one of the following:

Atavistic Druid
--Altered Beast: Spend a free action and 1 Fate pt. to shift into predator form.

--While in this form, gain +1D Strength, +1D Toughness, +2” Move.

--You neither gain nor grant a friends bonus in close combat.

--You may not collect or carry Adventure objectives.

--3rd level: Add +1D to Strength in this form.

Keeper Druid
--Boon Companion: You gain an appropriate animal companion with the following profile:

Animal 4D

Defense 4D

Strength 4D

Toughness 4D

Move: 7” Hits: 5;  Tooth & Claw: +1D Damage

--You must spend 1 Fate pt. at the start of the game to include your animal companion in the party.

--The animal has WC 4. Roll on the Save vs. Death! for your animal companion just as with normal characters. If he perishes, you do not have one available for the next adventure, but gain a new one with the same starting profile in the subsequent adventure.

--3rd level: Add +1D to the companion’s Animal trait.

Special Abilities
Pathfinder: Druids treat all forest and swamp difficult ground as normal, open terrain.

Minor Spellcaster: Druids begin play with one 1st level spell chosen from the Spirit magic list.

Starting Hit Points: 7

Starting Equipment
Druids may select up to two weapons from the following list:
--Javelins
--Shillelagh
--Spear
--Druids may also carry small shields, but wear no other armor.

Level progression
Druids use the following advancement path. Each level indicates the amount of experience points (XP) needed to reach it and gain the listed benefits. When a Druid adds a new spell, he or she can select it from the Spiritual spell list.

Level 1: Starting options detailed above.
Level 2: 4 XP. +1 Re-roll to Druid trait
Level 3: 8 XP. +1 Re-roll to 1 non-Class trait; +1 Fate; *Class bump
Level 4: 12 XP. +1D to Druid trait. +1 Hit Point; New spell
Level 5: 16 XP. +1D to 1 non-Class trait; +1 Fate
Level 6: 20 XP. +1 Re-roll to Druid trait. +1 Hit Point

*See above for details on 3rd level Class bumps.

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 Druid has always been one of my favorite classes across many editions of the classic D&D RPG, Rolemaster, and other games. I feel like the options here provide the classic options and feel, and reflect the things that made me love playing the Class.

Thanks for visiting!

--Scott